Barcelona suffered their first defeat of the season in midweek as they lost 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
For a side that has been dominating every single game this season, the defeat raised more questions than it should have.
But fortunately for Barcelona, the team has two great leaders in the team, who were quick to rally up the troops by giving impassioned ‘lessons’ to their teammates after the PSG loss.
Rodri and Raphinha’s message to the team
Raphinha has emerged as a real leader at Barcelona. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)
As reported by Diario SPORT, the Barcelona dressing room has emerged from the defeat with its spirits intact, and two senior figures played a key role in setting the tone.
Shortly after the game, it was captain Raphinha who first addressed the group, delivering a talk aimed at drawing the right conclusions and lessons from the loss.
Rodri, who will be playing his first El Clasico this weekend, then followed.
The Spaniard stressed that if mistakes are going to be made, this early stage of the season is precisely the time to make them and learn.
The Ballon d’Or winner spoke with particular energy about the demands of the biggest occasions, emphasising that in matches against the best teams in the world, concentration and decision-making in every single play are what separate winning from losing.
The sentiment was shared by Flick’s coaching staff and the squad’s veterans, who agreed the game was lost through poor decision-making at key moments rather than any deeper woe.
The report adds that the group remains united and confident that, by eliminating those specific errors, they can still compete for every trophy on offer.
Why both will be crucial against Real Madrid
Rodri is expected to start vs Real Madrid. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
It goes without saying that both Raphinha and Rodri will play a crucial role once again as Barcelona take on Real Madrid on Sunday.
Rodri, who started the PSG game on the bench as Flick managed his workload, is expected to return to the heart of midfield for the Clasico.
His calm, control and big-game experience, exactly the qualities he preached to his teammates, could prove invaluable against a Real Madrid side desperate to disrupt Barça’s rhythm.
Raphinha, meanwhile, will be eager to lead by example after a rare off night in Paris. The captain was well below his usual standards against PSG, and few occasions offer a better stage for redemption than a Clasico at the Camp Nou.